Saved, But At What Cost?

The forest came alive.

Something was moving in the mist. Dozens of somethings. The fog churned and twisted, shapes darting between the trees. Too fast and too many.

Karina’s chest heaved as she held Winona upright. ‘They’re following us!’ she gasped.

‘The stream! Keep to the stream!’ Winona wheezed, her breath shallow and broken. ‘We can cross the bridge!’

Figures flickered through the gray. Pale limbs, elongated shadows running on all fours, their eyes flashing like wet glass in the lightning. The whispers came again, louder, circling them. Laughter. Mocking. Imitating.

‘Hurry!’

Karina half-dragged, half-carried her grandmother toward the narrow bridge that arched over the raging stream. The wooden planks glistened slick with rain, swaying slightly with every gust.

‘We can do this. Just hold onto me, okay?’ Karina said, voice trembling.

Winona nodded weakly, her eyes darting toward the shadows flickering at the edge of the trees.

They stepped onto the bridge. The wood creaked. The current below roared. Karina moved first, guiding her grandmother one shaky step at a time. Behind them, too many, too close a pounding footsteps. Something screamed, high and shrill, like metal tearing apart.

‘Don’t look back!’ Karina shouted.

But Winona slipped.

Her foot slid on the wet plank, her hand catching the frayed rope railing too late. She fell hard onto her knees, crying out in pain.

‘Grandma!’

Karina dropped beside her, grabbing her under the arms. ‘I’ve got you, I’ve got you—’

‘I can’t—’ Winona’s voice cracked. Her body was shaking. ‘My leg—’

‘You can!’ Karina yelled over the storm.

Without another thought, she heaved her grandmother upward with every ounce of strength she had, pushing her forward onto the bridge.

‘Go!’

Winona’s frail body rolled onto the planks, gasping.

But as she made sure her grandma was in the middle, Karina’s balance broke. The wood beneath her boots snapped slick under her feet. And she fell.

Winona herself got stuck in a plank and couldn’t grab, nor follow after Karina.

‘KARINA!’

Cold water hit Karina like a wall. The current dragged her under instantly, churning and merciless. Her scream drowned beneath the roar.

The world turned into white foam and darkness.

Then… hands. Or claws.

Something caught her. Something strong and solid. Somthing wrong.

Karina thrashed, but a rough palm clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries. She tried to kick, claw, fight, but the grip around her waist held fast.

Her vision blurred. Between flashes of lightning, she saw the bridge above her, Winona, still crawling, still trying to stand, and the fog crawling closer, forming into figures that closed in around her.

‘Grandma!’ Karina tried to scream, but her mouth was covered.

Winona’s small form was swallowed by mist. The last thing Karina saw of her grandmother was a trembling hand reaching out towards her.

Then, everything went white.

When Karina came to, she was coughing on wet soil. The taste of river water burned her throat. She rolled onto her side, choking and gasping for air. The rain had softened to a steady drizzle. The mist still hung low, glimmering faintly in the headlights of the abandoned Toyota up the hill.

Something moved in front of her.

The shape that had pulled her from the river stood a few feet away. Tall and broad-shouldered, its features hid beneath dripping shadows.

Karina’s body shook uncontrollably as she looked up at it. ‘Who—’

The figure didn’t answer. It crouched beside her, a hand reaching out, not to hurt her, but to check if she could stand. Karina flinched regardless, which made the figure flinch in return.

Its touch was cold. Human, but not. Karina thought, as she had been trying to figure out what was trying to tear her apart from her grandma.

Karina could feel the strength behind that grip. It could’ve crushed her if it wanted to. Instead, it simply guided her upward.

She was crying, words falling apart between her sobs. ‘My grandmother! Please… I have to…’

The figure reached into its coat and tossed something at her. Something clinked against her forehead and dropped to the mud.

My keys. Karina realized.

‘Go inside,’ the voice said, low, rough, but unmistakably male.

‘What?’ Karina blinked through tears.

The figure turned toward the woods.

‘I’ll go back for her. Lock yourself in and don’t open for anyone.’

And before she could say another word, it was gone. Swallowed by the mist.